Wire-stretcher.



PATENTED DEG. 4, 1906.`

J. W. ACTON.

WIRE STRETGHER. APPLICATION ILED PEB. 24, 1906;

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nl: Nantais PzrsRs CLL. WASMlNcraN. D. c,

No. 837,447. l PATBNTED DEG. 4, 1906. J. W. AGTON.

WIRE STRBTCHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1906. y I

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JAMES W'. AOTON, OF OREGON, MISSOURI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 4, 1906.

Application filed February 24, 1906. Serial No. 302.792.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. AoToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oregon, in the county of I-Iolt and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vire-Stretchers, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improvement in fence and wire stretchers,and particularly to a stretcher embracing means for tightening either asection of woven-wire fence `or a single strand.

The main obj ect of the inventionis the production of a stretcher whichshall be simple inconstruction, comprise means for quickly andeffectivelyT stretching either at different or the same time a sectionof woven fence and a single strand of wire, and which shall be adaptedto automatically hold taut the stretched section or strand of wire whileit is being permanently attached to the supporting means.

Another objectsought is to so arrange the novel parts of the stretcherthat it shall be light, strong, and durable and easily manipulated by asingle operator.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and then pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved stretchershown in operative relation to a section of woven fence. Fig. 2 is acentral horizontal section, partly in elevation, of the stretcher. Fig.3 is a vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of the same.Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation,of a clamping-block and wedge, a strand of wire being shown as securelyclamped therein. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the same. l

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference-numerals indicatelike parts throughout the several views, 1 denotes the stretcher-block,comprising top and bottom plates 2 and 3 and end walls 4 and 5. Arrangedlongitudinally of the frame and passing vertically through rplates 2 and3 are two parallel series of equally-spaced fulcrum-apertures 6 and 7,the apertures of one plate of each series lying in vertical alinementwith the apertures of the same series in the other plate, the two seriesbeing arranged in staggered order with relation to each other.

Passing through an aperture S of wall 5 0f the frame is a link-rod 9,formed at one end with hook 10 and attached at the other end by means ofeyebolt 11 to a stretching-lever 12 near one end thereof. This lever isformed with two semicylindrical transverse notches 13 and 14, conformingin curvature to apertures 6 and 7, one on each side of and equidistantfrom eyebolt 1 1 and spaced apart a distance equal to that separatingany aperture of series 6 from the nearest aperture of series 7 in thesame plate.

Two removable fulcrum-pins 15 and 16, formed with heads 17 and 18,respectively, are designed to pass transversely through plates 2 and 3when inserted in any two alined apertures of series 6 or 7. To loop 19,secured to wall 4 of the frame, is attached one end of a binding-chain20 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

21 denotes a clamping-blockused in stretching a single strand of wireand comprising base-plate 22, formed with an inclined upper face, andspaced side walls 23 and 24, formed with inwardly-projectingbinding-lugs 25 and 26, respectively, adapted in coperation withbase-plate 22 to frictionally engage and hold in place a wedge 27 wheninserted between walls 23 and 24. 28 is a chain attached to the rear ofthe clamping-block and serves to secure it to the stretcher inoperation, and 29 designates a section of wire shown as being securelyheld in the clamping-block.

30 denotes a section of woven fence designed to be stretched along a rowof posts 31. A draft-chain 32 is securely attached to the two ends of agripping-bar 33, between the sections of which one end of the roll ofwoven fence is secured, the other end being of course permanentlyattached in place to the post at which it is desired to commence thefence.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the fartherend of the section of woven fence is securely tied to the post desired,the remainder of the roll is unwound along the row of posts and theloose IOO end iirmly clamped between the sections of i bar 33. Fulcruin-pin 15 is passed through plates 2 and 3 by insertion in twoalined apertures of series 6, while pin 16 is inserted in either pair ofthe two alined apertures of series 7 lying nearest to pin 15-say, forexample, as indicated in Fig. 2. The stretchinglever is now broughttoward the fulcrum-pins until notches 13 and 14 engage pins 15 and 16,respectively, and hook 10 of link-rod 9 passed around draft chain 32 andthe stretcher IIO this, two clamping-blocks 21 are employed,

made fast to a near-by post by means of binding-chain 20. Manual poweris now applied to the handle of lever 12 in the direction of saidbinding-chain, causing pin 15 to act as a fulcrum and drawing link-rod 9in said direction and, as obvious, taking up some or all of the slack inthe roll of fence-wire. The lever is forced as far as is necessary tobring no tch 14 in alinement with that aperture of series 7 lying nextto pin 16, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, when said pin is insertedin said notch and acts either as a means for holding the lever, andconsequently the section of fence-wire, in attained position or as afulcrurn in further use of the lever in stretching the section tighter,power on the handle being then of course applied in a direction oppositeto that just previously taken until notch 13 is alined with thataperture in series 6 lying next in the direction of travel to pin 15,which is then inserted in said aperture and acts in its turn as a meansfor holding the lever in attained position.

In stretching a single strand of wire the loose end thereof is insertedin the clampingblock and securely held there by friction on theinsertion of wedge 27 to the required distance, the block is attached tohook 1() of the stretcher by means of chain 28,and the lever 1 2operated as above described and as obvious, causing the wire to bequickly drawn taut, when it can be permanently secured as desired.

In stretching heavy woven wire when all the slack is not taken up at thefirst operation of the lever the hook 34 on the forward end of thestretcher-block 1 is brought into use, its function being to hold thewire in place as far as stretched until the pin 15 can be removed to thenext alined holes to the rear and the lever 12 carried back and againbrought into engagement therewith. To accomplish and they are connectedby a rope or cham, one clamping-block being secured to the upper L andthe other to the lower border strands of the woven wire. The rope orchain is then inserted in the hook 34 in the same manner as the chain 32is placed in the hook 9, as shown in Fig. 1.

While I have shown my apparatus in connection with a fence-wire, it willof course be readily understood that it is as well adapted for thestretching of any wires, such as telephone, telegraph, and similarwires.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- A fencingwire stretcher comprising a block formed with a rectangular openingtherethrough and 'an opening through one end, said block being alsoprovided in its upper and lower walls with parallel rows of spacedopenings, the openings in the two walls being in vertical alinement andthe openings in one row being arranged intermediate the openings in theother row, a lever slidably mounted in the central rectangular openingof said block and having in one of its edges spaced notches, a pivot-eyearranged upon said lever midway between said notches, a rod engaged withsaid pivot-eye and slidably mounted in the opening in the end of said fblock, said rod having its projecting outer end bent to provide a hook,means detachably engaged with said hook for clamping fencing-wire, pinsarranged to engage the openings of the respective rows in succession andform continuously-advancing fulcrumpoints for the lever, a loo pivotallymounted at one end of said bloc i, an attaching element engaged withsaid loop, and the hook 34 fixed upon the opposite end of said block,

substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES W. ACTON. Witnesses:

H. E. DENNY, A. VAN BUsKIRK.

